


The Rescue

by afteriwake



Series: All Of Time And Space [20]
Category: Doctor Who, Sherlock (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-03
Updated: 2012-07-03
Packaged: 2017-11-09 03:09:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/450595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John’s first adventure with the Doctor doesn’t go according to plan at all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> It took me forever to finish this part, and I need to finish part 2 within the next four days. I hate working under a deadline, but I hope you enjoy this Wholock re-write of “The Doctor’s Wife.”

“So. John, this is your first time aboard the TARDIS. I’ve already shown you space. Where else do you want to go?” The Doctor was at the console, Amy was sitting in the seat nearby and Sherlock was standing near her. John had taken the whole thing rather well, considering he hadn’t passed out upon entering the TARDIS the first time, and hadn’t gone gibbering when the Doctor opened up the doors and there were stars all around them instead of Baker Street.

“I’m not really sure,” he replied.

“ _Don’t_ say a museum,” Amy replied. “Please.”

“Why not? You got sick when we went to the museum the last time,” the Doctor said to her with a frown. “You didn’t get to have any fun.”

Amy tossed a look to Sherlock who she could see was clearly suppressing a grin. “I had some fun before I took my nap,” she said finally, trying not to grin as well. “Besides, I had Sherlock for company. It wasn’t so bad.”

The Doctor opened his mouth to speak when there was a knock at the TARDIS doors. “Strange,” he murmured. 

“We’re out in the middle of space,” John said.

“Deep space,” the Doctor said as the knocking was heard again. He went to the door and knocked back, then slowly opened the doors. Only John could see the wide smile on his face as the open doors showed a small cube floating in space. “I have mail!” he said excitedly as the cube zoomed into the console room. It flew by John, then Sherlock and Amy, who had stood up when the knocking started, and then it hit the Doctor in the head. He fell down, grabbed the cube, and stood up.

“Who is it from?” Sherlock asked as he and Amy moved closer to the stairs.

“Another Time Lord,” he said happily, bounding up to the console. “I’m afraid you’ll have to choose another time, John. It’s a message to go rescue the Corsair. See this snake?” he said, handing the cube to Amy before he began fiddling with the controls. “He always had to have that tattooed on himself somewhere. Or herself, a few times. Regenerations, always a tricky business.”

“I thought you said there weren’t any left,” Amy said, handing the cube to Sherlock and following the Doctor around the console.

“Not anywhere in the universe. _Outside_ the universe is where we’re heading. Hadn’t thought to check there.” He fiddled with a few more controls and then the TARDIS landed with a slight lurch. Almost immediately afterwards, all the lights began to dim. “What…?” he asked, mostly to himself. “The power is draining.”

“Is that supposed to happen?” John asked.

“No,” the Doctor said as the room got almost completely dark. “Perhaps we should go outside and take a look.”

“Is it safe?” John asked.

“I’ll go out first, but these are the coordinates I was sent. If the Corsair is here, it should be safe enough.” The Doctor opened the doors and stepped outside. “It’s fine!” he called back to the TARDIS.

John came out first, followed by Amy and then Sherlock. “Looks like a rubbish dump,” Amy said as she got closer to the Doctor.

“There are rifts here. They bring things here and they’re collected. Hopefully they will recharge the TARDIS as well.”

“Thief!” A female voice rang out from around one of the piles of scraps, and everyone started slightly. An attractive woman came running towards the group, followed by two other people, a man and a woman. “You’re my thief!” She launched herself at the Doctor and kissed him on the lips. He pushed at her slightly and she grinned at him. “I’m…I’m…it’s a big word, on the tip on my tongue. It’s a happy word, but sad as well.”

“Who are you?” the Doctor asked her.

“The only water in the forest is the river,” she said, looking at Sherlock and Amy.

“What on Earth is going on?” John said.

“Haven’t a clue,” Sherlock said, as Amy made a circle around her ear with her finger.

“It’s the smell of dust after the rain,” she said, looking at Sherlock.

“What is?” he asked.

“Petrichor,” she replied. “You’ll need to know that later. Or now. No, later.” Then she turned to the Doctor. “You’ll get angry when you see the boxes.”

“Be careful, she bites,” the man who had followed her said as she made her way back to the Doctor.

“Biting! Yes!” She went over and bit the Doctor’s ear. He yelped in pain and then she let go. “Biting is an awful lot like kissing, except there’s a winner!”

“She’s tired,” the older woman said, going over to the woman who had bit the Doctor and pulling her closer to them.

“Tired, yes. I wonder if there’s an off button,” she said, and then she passed out into John’s waiting arms.

The Doctor watched the two other people go over to the woman who had fainted, taking her away from John. “I got a call, from an old friend of mine.”

“There’s no one here, except Idris and Uncle and I,” the woman said. “Except for Nephew, of course.” She pointed behind them, and the Doctor and his friends turned to see an Ood approaching.

“It’s an alien,” John murmured, looking neither afraid or confused, instead having a look of wonder on his face. “Is it dangerous?” he asked, a bit louder.

“No, it’s not. It’s an Ood! Most peaceful aliens in the universe,” the Doctor said with a grin. “It seems his communicator’s off.” He went to the alien and pointed at its orb. “May I?” It nodded slightly. The Doctor took the orb in his hands and fiddled with it for a moment. Shortly afterwards they heard the Corsair’s cries for help, along with many other voices. “Peculiar,” he said quietly.

“House fixed him,” Uncle said. “It was better when House fixed him.”

“Who is House?” Sherlock asked.

“You’re standing on him,” the woman said.

“Auntie’s right. He’s under us, all around us. We breathe in his air, stand on his surface,” Uncle replied.

“Let me speak to House,” the Doctor said, narrowing his eyes.

“All right,” Auntie said. “Follow us. Nephew, take care of Idris.” Nephew went and took Idris away from Uncle, and then the two of them led the Doctor, Amy, Sherlock and John into a ragtag building. Soon they were at a grate with a green glow emanating from it. “Here’s House,” she said, shuffling her feet slightly.

“How may I help you?” a cultured and masculine voice said through Auntie and Uncle, who had frozen in position and now had a vacant look in their eyes.

“I’m looking for my friend the Corsair. He sent a message to me with these coordinates,” the Doctor said, walking closer to the grate.

“Many Time Lords have tread upon my surface,” House responded. “There are none here now, however.”

“And there won’t be anymore,” the Doctor replied, his jaw setting slightly. “I’m the last of the lot.”

“How very unfortunate,” House replied.

“Mind if I have a look around?” the Doctor asked.

“Feel free. Auntie and Uncle will show you around,” House said. “Good-bye, Time Lord.”

With that, Auntie and Uncle began moving again. “Come with us, we’ll show you around,” Auntie said.

The Doctor nodded, then turned to his friend. “Amelia, my sonic is in my jacket pocket, in the TARDIS. Could you go fetch it for me?”

“You mean it’s not in the jacket you’re wearing now?” she asked, her eyebrow arched.

“My other jacket pocket,” he said. “John, Sherlock, go with her.”

“No, you two stay with him. I can find it,” Amy said, heading off.

“Go with her,” the Doctor said, a bit more insistently.

“Come on,” Sherlock said to John after giving the Doctor a strange look. They walked away and exited the building, catching up with Amy.

“I thought you boys were supposed to stay with him,” Amy said with an exasperated sigh.

“He wants us in the TARDIS,” John said with a slight shrug.

“Which means something is wrong,” Sherlock said. “I’ll go with Amelia to look for his sonic. John, you stay here and keep an eye on things.”

“All right,” John said with a nod as Amy opened the TARDIS doors and she and Sherlock stepped inside. They’d been inside for just a few moments when John heard a click. He went to the door. “Sherlock? Amy? Why did you lock the door?”

“We didn’t,” Sherlock said from the other side. 

John looked down. “Sherlock, there’s green smoke surrounding the TARDIS.”

“Go get the Doctor. Quickly,” Sherlock said.

John needed no more prompting. He ran back to the building, and found the Doctor already exiting. “Why aren’t you in the TARDIS?” he asked.

“There’s smoke surrounding it, and it locked Sherlock and Amy in on its own.”

The Doctor looked at him, and then took off at a sprint. The entire TARDIS was covered in the sickly green smoke, and just as the Doctor got to it, a “vworp-vworp-vworp” sound was heard and it disappeared. “Damn,” the Doctor muttered.

“What happened?” John asked.

“I don’t know, but it’s not good,” the Doctor said. “Auntie and Uncle have died, but not before I found out they were made of bits and pieces of Time Lords. There’s only one person left who can answer our questions. Let’s go talk to her.”

The two men trooped back inside, and after some searching they found Idris, locked up in a cage of some sort. “Who are you?” the Doctor asked.

“I am…you call me Sexy,” she said with a smile, poking her face through one of the holes.

“You’re saying you’re my TARDIS?” he replied incredulously.

“Yes. Time And Relative Dimension In Space. When I’m in use I make this sound.” She opened her mouth, and the same “vworp-vworp-vworp” sound they had just heard from the TARDIS came out. “You stole me, many years ago. And I stole you.”

“I borrowed you,” he said, moving closer to her.

“Borrowing implies an eventual return. Whatever makes you think I’d give you back?” she said with a smile. “I wanted to see the universe, so I found a Time Lord and ran away.”

“I can’t believe you’re really her,” the Doctor said with a smile of his own. He pulled out his sonic and pointed it at the cage door.

“I thought you’d left that on the TARDIS,” John said.

“Rule one: the Doctor lies. Just ask River.” He pressed a button and the door opened.

Idris stepped out, looking over the Doctor, who looked over her. “Are all bodies like this?” she asked after a moment.

“Like what?” John asked her.

“So much bigger on the inside,” she said, turning to John. “Do you notice it?”

“I rather think we’re quite small,” he replied.

“No, it’s definitely bigger on the inside,” she said, turning back to the Doctor, who was wearing a wide grin. “So tell me, do you have a plan? You don’t always have a plan, but when you have one it’s brilliant.”

The Doctor blushed slightly. “I believe I do. Come along, Sexy. You too, John.” He grabbed her hand, and she in turn grabbed John’s, and suddenly they were off and running out of the building. They stood upon a hill, overlooking piles of junk and old shells of things. “Do you see what I see?”

“I see a graveyard full of my sisters,” Idris said sadly.

“I see junk,” John said.

The Doctor frowned at both of them. “I see bits of other TARDISes. We can build a working one from the parts,” he said.

“That is a brilliant idea,” Idris said, a small smile on her face.

“Will it work?” John asked.

“Only one way to find out,” the Doctor said. He made his way down the hill. “We’ve got to build one and see,” he called behind him.

Idris turned to John. “We’ll save your friends,” she said, laying a gentle hand on his arm.

“I hope so,” he said. “Come on, let’s go help him out.”


	2. Chapter 2

As soon as Sherlock left the doors the interior of the TARDIS took on a sickly green glow. “What’s going on, Sherlock?” Amy asked as she reached over for the phone on the console.

“John said smoke is surrounding the TARDIS.” He came up to her and watched her punch in a number.

“We’re on fire?” she asked, her eyes wide.

“No,” he said.

She started to reply to him but whoever she dialed must have picked up. “We’re on the TARDIS and it’s all green in here,” she said. He surmised she was calling the Doctor. “Yeah, well, we’re locked in. I didn’t lock it! I don’t know how. Can you come and let us out?” There was a long pause. “Doctor? Doctor!” She hung up the phone. “I lost him.”

“It’s of no use,” House’s voice said.

Amy reached over and grabbed Sherlock’s arm, then slid her hand down till their palms were pressed together and she was holding his hand. “Why is he talking to us?” she whispered.

“I believe he’s hijacking the TARDIS,” Sherlock murmured.

“It appears I have two people on board. What’s to stop me from killing you?” House said.

“You’re a sadist,” Sherlock said.

“Don’t antagonize the creepy voice,” Amy said.

“Why do you think I’m a sadist?” House asked Sherlock.

“You like to lure Time Lords to your surface, and you use their message cubes to do it. I think that you like to make them suffer. It pleases you. And if you simply kill us, we won’t suffer. You’ll lose your amusement and it won’t be as satisfying.”

“You have a very good point,” House said. “What do you propose I do?”

“Have us run,” he replied.

“Very well. Go. Run.” 

Sherlock looked at Amy, then pulled her along with him up the stairs to the corridor that led to the rooms. They made it a little way in before Amy spoke up. “Why on Earth did you suggest he make us run?” she asked.

“It would give us a fighting chance. It hasn’t been that long since you were living here, and I know you’ve explored. You can lead us to a safe place and we can hide out until I think of a better plan.”

Amy let go of his hand and then went to a door, opening it. “In here, then.” She went in and Sherlock followed. There was no light, but he could feel clothing. He realized it was a closet of some sort. “All right, start thinking.”

“John has to have alerted the Doctor, and if the Doctor is as smart as I give him credit for he has a plan. We simply need to survive until we’re rescued. Where would you head to next?”

“Deeper in, like to the pool. Or up higher, like to the observatory.”

“I don’t like the idea of you hiding.” House’s voice was muffled, as though he was just on the other side of the door. “It’s no fun if you’re not running.” Suddenly it was hard to breathe, as if all the oxygen was sucked out of the room. Sherlock was closest to the door, and he threw it open and stumbled into the hallway, taking a deep breath of air. Amy was right behind him, and she collapsed to the floor on her hands and knees as she sucked in one breath after another. “That’s better.”

“We need to run,” Sherlock said, helping her up and grabbing her hand. “You lead.”

Amy gripped his hand tightly and ran down the corridors. She knew where she was going; when she hadn’t been able to sleep she’d explored. She knew where a lot of the rooms were, and which corridors lead to dead ends and such. They ran for at least twenty minutes but suddenly Amy stopped short. “He’s changing things!” she said. “There should be more corridors here.”

Sherlock stopped at the edge of a gaping hole. He leaned in slightly and saw ladder rungs on the side. “Let’s climb up to another level.”

“All right.” She reached over and got a hold of one of the rungs, then jumped slightly to get her feet on another rung. She held on tightly, then began to climb. Sherlock had longer arms and legs so it was easier for him to get on the rungs, and he slowly climbed up after her. His coat was making it hard, however, and when they got to the next floor he shrugged out of his coat and left it on the floor. “Sherlock…”

“It’s just a coat. It’s not important. I need room to move if we need to climb more.”

She nodded, then reached over for his hand and pulled him along. It seemed like they ran and ran forever, occasionally hitting another dead end and having to climb up or down or turn around and go back. Neither of them looked at their watch, but they were beginning to slow down so they had been moving for quite a while. He had a bit more stamina than she did, and at one point he went through a door while she paused to catch her breath. The door slid shut behind them, keeping one on either side. “Sherlock!” she called out, banging on the door. She tried to open it, but it didn’t budge.

She looked around, then went to her left. She ran for a few minutes before another door slammed shut in front of her. She turned again and saw Sherlock there. “Amelia,” he said. “It’s been hours.”

“It’s only been a few minutes,” she said, confused.

“He’s playing games with us,” he said, reaching for her hand. She took it, glad for the warmth as she started to realize it was getting colder.

“He’s turning off the heat,” she said.

“Earlier it was too warm,” he said, and she saw he had unbuttoned his shirt partially. “Keep hold of my hand. We can’t afford to get separated again.”

“All right,” she said with a nod. “Let’s go back that way.”

“It’s been closed off.”

“I bet it’s open again.” They took off at a run, and her theory was proven correct, as the door that had separated them was open now. They went through it when the lights went out, plunging the room into darkness. “Don’t let go,” she said. “its pitch black.”

“No it’s not,” Sherlock replied. “I’ll guide you.”

She trusted the warmth of his hand, and let him pull her along. Suddenly he let go, and she tried not to panic. “Sherlock.” She took a few steps forward, then stumbled over something. She landed on her hands and knees, and then she saw a green glow coming her way. “Sherlock!” she called out. She backed away from the green glow, flush into what she had stumbled over. She could feel warmth, and she reached to her side. Then the object groaned and moved. It was Sherlock. “We have to get up, we have to move,” she said, feeling for his hand as he sat up. She got up off the ground and pulled his arm up, and then the rest of him.

She could see again, and she led him away from the green glow to another set of ladder rungs. They were at the edge when he stopped and shut his eyes, putting his hands to the side of his head. “I can see that woman. She’s giving me a message.”

“What message?” Amy asked, concerned.

“Where we need to go, and what we need to do,” he said. He opened his eyes after a moment. “We need to go up.”

“Then let’s go,” she said as she saw the green glow again. Sherlock led the way this time, and after at least a half hour of climbing he got off the ladder rungs and went down a corridor, Amy close behind him. Then he stopped again. “Another message?” she asked.

“The password is crimson, eleven, delight, petrichor,” he said. He looked at the wall next to the door they were in front of. “There’s no keycard or touchpad.”

“You have to think it,” she said. She shut her eyes. 

“What do you think of for petrichor?” he asked.

“I’m not sure.” She opened her eyes. “The woman said something about rain. The perfume is supposed to be about the smell of rain.”

“The smell of dust after the rain,” he said. “That’s what she said.”

Amy grinned and then shut her eyes again. “Crimson, eleven, delight, the smell of dust after the rain.” She repeated her mantra once, then twice, then a third time, and suddenly the door opened. Sherlock grabbed her hand and pulled her inside. “Now what?”

“We need to set something,” he said. He went to the consoles, a different set than what he was used to seeing. He flipped a switch, then lowered a lever. “There.”

Amy looked at the doorway, and saw the Ood approaching. “I don’t think that one’s as peaceful as the Doctor thinks,” she said, reaching over for Sherlock’s hand.

“I don’t think so, either,” he said. The Ood got closer, and Sherlock looked at Amy. “If this is the end—“

“I don’t think it is, but just in case,” she said before kissing him. He kissed her back for a moment. “I’m glad I’m with you.”

“I as well.” Then there was a spark, and Sherlock pulled Amy closer to him and moved away from the growing light. He shielded her, and then there was a loud sound and he looked back to see a partial console and the Doctor, John and Idris. Idris had collapsed on the ground and John was tending to her. “I see the rescue party has arrived.”

“How did you get here?” House asked.

“Bit of luck, a lot of skill,” the Doctor said, glancing at John and the woman before moving away from them and closer to Sherlock and Amy.

“Why shouldn’t I just kill you lot now?” House said. “I could take all the oxygen out of the room.” Suddenly it was impossible to breathe again. “Or I can burn you all up.” They could breathe again after that, but suddenly the temperature began to rise.

“You could do that, I suppose, but if you kill me you’ll be stuck here, unable to enter my universe,” the Doctor said. “Let us live and I’ll help.”

“Why would you make such a deal?” House asked, though the temperature did not continue to rise.

“In the interest of self-preservation. I managed to get to you; I know how to get back.”

There was a long pause. “Very well,” House said.

“You need to delete rooms. I would recommend the swimming pool and the squash courts.”

“I’ll start with this one,” House said. There was a grin on the Doctor’s face as one minute they were in the strange console room and the next they were in their familiar one. “I don’t understand.”

“It’s a failsafe,” the Doctor said with a clap of his hands. “If a room gets deleted while people are inside they’re dropped off in the console room. Now then, you put the soul of my TARDIS in a human body and weren’t around for it to break. And then I brought her here.” He looked over at Idris, who had begun to glow. “Go get her, old girl.”

Gold light began to leave Idris’s body, and it began streaming around the console room in large swatches. “What? No!” House screamed. “No! Noooo!” And then after a moment the sickly green glow was gone and the TARDIS looked the same as it always did.

“Doctor,” John said, calling his attention to him as he stood by Idris.

The Doctor came over to them, and looked at the woman sadly. “I don’t want you to leave,” he said, his voice on the verge of tears.

“I know what I wanted to say, the big word which is happy and sad,” she said with a smile.

“Good-bye?” he asked, reaching towards her.

“No. Hello, Doctor. It is so very nice to meet you.” And with a final smile she burst into light, and then she was gone. The Doctor looked at where she had been, and John could see a single tear slip down his cheek.

“Doctor,” Amy said gently as she pulled away from Sherlock and went to him, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. 

The Doctor reached up and brushed the tear away, then turned and hugged Amy. “I’m glad we were able to save you,” he said, his voice muffled because his lips were nestled in her hair.

“I’m glad you were too,” she said.

John watched them for a moment, then moved over to Sherlock. “Are all adventures with him like this?” John asked quietly.

“Some, not all,” Sherlock said, watching Amy and the Doctor. 

“And yet you still travel with him,” john said.

“I trust him with my life,” Sherlock said. He turned to look at John, who was already looking at him. “Do you think you could trust him with yours?”

“I think so,” he said with a slight nod.

“That’s good,” Sherlock said.

“Who was she sending the messages to? All she said was it was the pretty one.”

A small smile crossed Sherlock’s lips. “Me.”

“I think Amy’s prettier than you,” john said with a slight chuckle.

“I happen to agree,” Sherlock said as Amy and the Doctor pulled apart.

“Just need to fix a few things and then we can go wherever you want,” the Doctor said as he got to John, clapping him on the shoulder. “Shouldn’t take long.”

Amy went over and took Sherlock’s hand, linking her fingers in his. “We can wait,” she said, looking to Sherlock first, who nodded, and then to John.

“Yeah, we can wait,” John said with a nod of his own.

“Very well,” the Doctor said with a smile. “I wonder if the old girl…never mind. We’ll go where you want, John, as soon as she’s mended. Why don’t you three go and show John around a bit.”

“All right,” Amy said with a nod. “Want to take a swim, John?”

“Sure, why not?” he said as the three of them walked up the stairs, leaving the Doctor alone.

He went to the console and patted it lovingly. “Perhaps after they’ve left, you can take me where I need to go,” he said softly. There was no response, and he shook his head. “I wish you could show me you heard me.” Suddenly a lever switched its position, and the Doctor smiled a wide grin, dancing around the console. “That’s my girl!” he said, and with that he moved below and began to work on her.


End file.
